Macronutrient status of cultivated lands of upper Loralai [Pakistan]

The macronutrient survey of cultivated lands of upper Loralai was carried out during the year 2000-2001. Ninety soil, samples were secured from 30 different sites of upper Loralai at the depth of 0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm. The soil samples were analyzed for total nitrogen, available phosphorous, available potassium along with some physico-chemical properties viz. Texture EC, pH, organic matter and lime. Majority of soils samples 636 were light in texture yet 376 samples were medium in texture at 0-15 cm depth whereas 73 were light and 276 were medium in texture at the depth of 15-30 cm. At 30-45 cm depth 636 were light, 346 were medium and only 36 were heavy in texture. The electrical conductivity of the sail samples ranged from 0.06 to 1.90 dS/m at 0-15 cm depth, 0.07 to 2.10 dS/m. at 15-30 cm depth, and 0.04 to 0.92 dS/m at the depth of 30-45 cm with a mean of 0.44, 0.42, 0.40 dS/m respectively. This salinity was not a problem in most of the soils analyzed. All the soil dimples had pH values less than 9. Thus sodicity was not a problem of the soils of area pH values ranged form 7.27 to 8.87 at all the depths. Majority of the soils were low to medium in organic matter. It declined with depth and ranged between 0.56 to 2.15. at 0-15 cm, 0.07 to 1.680 at 15-30 cm, and 0.08 to 1.02 at 30-45 cm with an overall average 1.31, 0.84, and 0.530 respectively in all depths. Soils of the area were highly calcareous in nature and ranged between 20.40 to 30.00% at 0-15 cm, 15.30 to 31.10 at 15-30 cm and 15.40 to 33.70 at the depth of 30-45 cm. The average values were 26.670, 25.430, and 25.74 at the depth of 0-15 cm, 15-30 and 30-45 cm respectively. Total nitrogen showed the range between 0.03 to 0.11% at 0-15 cm 0.01 to 6.08% at 15'-30 cm and 0.01 to 0.07% at the depth of 30-45 cm with an overall average of 0.0650, 0.043 and 0.030 in all the depths respectively. Majority of the soils were poor or medium in total nitrogen and the values decreases with the depth. The of the soils ranged from 1 .09 to 10 .05 mg/kg at 0-15 cm, 1.20 to 10.49 at 15-30 cm and 1.05 to 10.08 at 30- 45 cm depth. The overall all-average values were 3.58, 3 .34 21 mg/kg at 0.15 cm, 15- 30 cm and 30-45 cm respectively. Hence surveyed area was low in phosphorous. The values of potassium, ranged from 171.56 to 666.82 mg/kg at 0-15 cm 51.33 to 670.06 at 15-30 cm and 74.80 to 678.86 mg/kg at the depth of 30-45 cm with an overall average of 316.37, 339.90 and 348.85 at the depth of 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm and 30-45 cm respectively. So the surveyed area is high in potassium. So, it is concluded that the soils were light to medium in texture. Salinity was not a problem of the area. Although soils were moderately to strongly alkaline but there was no problem of sodicity. The soils of the area were poor in organic matter content and need application of organic matter. The soils were deficient is nitrogen and phosphorous and adequate in potassium. So, it is therefore recommended that nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer should be applied according to the suggested doses of varieties meet the requirement of the plant.